Tag: 2014

Better than the Aquarium: Tide Pools at Carpinteria State Beach, CA

I have a thing for starfish. I find them beautiful and fascinating, even more so when I can see them in their natural environment. One of the coolest, mind-blowing experiences I’ve had this year was watching sea life in the tide pools at Carpinteria State Beach in Southern California.

Maybe I find these animals so amazing because they are not part of my daily life. As a mountain mom, I grow tired of seeing deer, wild turkeys, blue jays and hummingbirds. They’re always around. But sea stars, anemones, crabs and harbor seals? That’s something to see.

On our visit to Carpinteria State Beach tide pools little g was most excited to find this baby sea star hiding in the sea weed, but my favorite animals were farther out – the harbor seals that rest on the rocks near the shore. Below is a photo, but you have to look closely – their camouflage is pretty good.

Finding different kinds of wildlife gave me a chance to see nature through the eyes of my children. Watching anemones curl into themselves, and explaining the empty crab shells we found on the beach, gave me the chance to explain what a food chain is.
Encouraging little g to touch with care, and look for snails under the shells she found gave me a chance to watch exploration and discovery through her eyes. Having Big E tell ME what camouflage means made me realize that kids pick up a lot without me even really trying.

 

Exploring the tide pools at Carpinteria State Beach was better than any trip to the aquarium. Not only did we get to see unique and interesting wildlife in their natural habitat, but we got to explore and discover new things as a family.
Read about last year’s Carpinteria adventures here and here.

 

Waterfall Week – Battlecreek Falls in Pleasant Grove, Utah with The Kid Project and GoAdventureMom

This last week the tots and I explored three amazing waterfalls, all within a 40 minute drive of our house. The first falls of Waterfall Week was Battlecreek Falls – a favorite of mine that I got to share with some great blogging friends – Alyssa from The Kid Project and Kathy from GoAdventureMom.

The great thing about connecting with other outdoor moms is that they get it. They understand that getting young children out in nature isn’t easy, but like me they believe it’s worth it even through the dirt, tears and mishaps.

And this adventure had several mishaps.

1. My spray sunblock could’ve doubled as mace. The faulty tip made a powerful five foot spray that hit my eyes and that of Alyssa’s son (sorry again), ruined my shirt and overall did little to protect against the sun.

2. Rumbling sounds and dark clouds were not enough to keep us from hiking to the falls, and incidentally the hike ended in pouring rain and crying kids.

3. Little g said “I wanna walk!” but would then stop to examine every pebble and bug, forcing me to strap her screaming into a MobyWrap for the majority of the trip.

4. Nature called for Big E, forcing us to use a trailside toilet AKA a boulder behind some bushes.

5. Little g ate cherries, dug in dirt and played in the blackened remains of a fire pit leaving her looking like this.

Even with the misadventure parts of this adventure, watching my son run with delight through the trees, or proudly show off a bug he found reminded me of why I bother. It’s this. Being outdoors with my kids brings me joy, and sharing that joy with other moms makes it all the more joyful. Thanks Kid Project and GoAdventureMom for a great outdoor adventure!

Battlecreek Falls
Getting there: In Pleasant Grove follow 200 South toward the mountains. The road becomes Battlecreek Drive and dead ends at the trail head.
Length: 1 mile out and back
Difficulty: Moderate. The rocky trail follows a stream for much of the way but there are some steep sections that are tough with kids.
Tips: Bring other kids along to help entertain and encourage yours!

Sundance Resort Kids Camp, Sundance, Utah

Big E loved spending a day at Sundance Resort Kids’ Camp last week. Here’s a re-post of what I wrote for the Sundance Resort Blog. Check out the original here.

When we first arrived at Sundance Kids Camp, my reluctant five-year-old was loathe to leave my side, clinging to my leg like a koala bear. I tried to get him interested in the group by joining in with the kids’ morning yoga class, where we pointed our arms like a compass, stood in “Tada” sana or Mountain pose and acted like animals. Ethan finally cracked a smile with the help of the Sundance camp leaders when pretending to be a puffer fish and rolling on his mat.
  Ethan (3 of 5)
While I snuck away, the group learned about predators and prey with an interactive tag game my son later described like this, “I liked the tagger game, you could be two mountain lions and they had to tag the deer, and they died. If you died you had to sit down.” It may not be eloquent, but his explanation showed me that not only had he learned something, he had fun doing it.
 Kids camp (1 of 6)-2
Years ago kids roamed the mountains all summer long with the Sundance Mountain School and Sundance Kids Camp. The tradition took a long hiatus, finally returning this year as the Sundance Summer Kids Camp.
Sundance Mountain Resort is an ideal place to send your kids on a summer day. The shady mountainsides, cooler temperatures and plethora of activities make it a great location for childhood play. Throughout the summer, kids ages 5-12 can hike, play, explore, and create all in the beauty of the mountains. With different themes like Water World or Survivor Kids for each week, the attendees are sure to be entertained.
 Kids camp (6 of 6)-2
In addition to hands on learning about predators and prey, Ethan’s group watched a live animal demonstration, had art activities, learned about camouflage and played games related to the week’s theme – Animal Adventures.
 At the end of the day, the shy kid from that morning was gone, replaced by a happy, laughing one. He had spent the day running, learning, and playing in the great outdoors of Sundance. I knew it was a success when he asked me later, “Can I go back every week?” You can’t get a better recommendation than that.Ethan (5 of 5)
Susan Strayer lives near Sundance resort and spends much of her time snowboarding, hiking, and getting up the courage to mountain bike. Read more at www.mountainmomandtots.com.

More Than S’mores – Four Delicious Desserts to Cook Over a Fire

UPDATED MARCH 2018  Try these delicious campfire desserts and have more than s’mores at your next camp out.
Everyone loves the taste of gooey marshmallow, warm chocolate and crunchy graham crackers. Roasted over a fire, the sweet S’mores treat is a camping staple throughout the nation. But marshmallows aren’t the only thing to roast over a fire.
1. Starbursts – It may sound strange but roasting these tiny squares over a fire gives them a crunchy, carmalized exterior and warm, melty interior. Mmmm!

2. Orange Cakes – Once on a camp out with my mom she showed me how to spoon out the flesh of an orange and fill the shell with cake batter. After wrapping it in tinfoil and placing it in the coals it made a tasty orange infused cake treat.
3. Doughboys – A staple in our extended family. Refrigerated biscuit dough stretched thin and wrapped around a camping stick can make a delicious baked dessert. Roast the dough near coals for 5-10 minutes, being careful not to burn it, then dip in melted butter and cinnamon and sugar.
4. S’mores Add-ons – Try adding a Rolo or Reese’s Peanut Butter cup to the top of your marshmallow roasting stick. While the mallow roasts, the chocolate melts and when you take off the marshmallow the candy tunnels inside the gooey goodness. Or try out special Stackable or Jumbo marshmallows for a unique spin on the s’mores experience.
5. Or if you’re not interested in sticky, dirty, messy hands and faces try these all in one Trader Joe’s treats. You may not be able to tell in the photo, but there are supposed to be chocolate goodies in the box behind the label. Unfortunately I ate them all before I took the picture – they were that good.